Bathroom toy caddy

ABSTRACT

An apparatus is disclosed for storing wet objects, drying these objects and quickly retrieving these objects when their use is desired. The apparatus includes a caddy with basket sides, a door, a hinge to permit opening of the door, a clasp to secure the door in a shut position and suction cups to attach the apparatus to a hard surface.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

This disclosure relates to containers for bathroom items, and moreparticularly to bath toys.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

A typical bathroom has a wide variety of objects that need to be stored,organized and made accessible. A number of storage options exist forholding items that may be either dry or wet. Persons sitting in abathtub, particularly children, often have objects floating with them.These objects have a need to be dried when not in use to remain sanitaryand also to be easily retrieved for the next bath.

Accordingly, it is desirable to implement a container that permits theseobjects to be stored, dried and easily retrieved.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

In accordance with the disclosure, a bathroom caddy with a closeabledoor and suction cups permits objects to be stored, dried and easilyretrieved. The suction cups permit mounting of the caddy to a hardsurface, particularly a tiled bathroom wall. Openings in the sides ofthe caddy permit good airflow to dry stored objects. The closeable doorin an open position permits these objects to fall by gravity into theirdesired location of use, particularly a child's bath. It should beappreciated that this caddy could be formed of any corrosion resistantmaterial such as stainless steel, plastic or rubber-coated wire.

The foregoing has outlined, rather broadly, the preferred features ofthe present disclosure so that those skilled in the art may betterunderstand the detailed description of the disclosure that follows.Additional features of the disclosure will be described hereinafter thatform the subject of the claims of the disclosure. Those skilled in theart should appreciate that they can readily use the disclosed conceptionand specific embodiment as a basis for designing or modifying otherstructures for carrying out the same purposes of the present disclosureand that such other structures do not depart from the spirit and scopeof the disclosure in its broadest form.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a bathroom toy caddy in a closed position, accordingto an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 illustrates a bathroom toy caddy in an open position, accordingto an embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A bathroom toy caddy according to an embodiment of the disclosureincludes an enclosure with a door and suction cups.

FIG. 1 illustrates a caddy including door 1 in a shut position, suctioncup 2, opening 3, basket sides 4, hinge 5 and clasp 6. In thisembodiment, the caddy is formed as an open-top wire basket, with ahinged door at the bottom thereof. Door 1 in a shut position permitsobjects (e.g. bath toys) to be stored in the caddy. As shown in FIG. 1,the caddy advantageously has an oblong shape with one or more suctioncups on a long side. Suction cup 2 permits the caddy to be attached to asuitable hard vertical surface (bathroom wall, bathtub enclosure, or thelike). One or more suction cups are attached to the uppermost horizontalwire, so that the caddy hangs from that suction cup; other suction cupsmay be attached to a lower wire so that the caddy is substantiallyparallel to and substantially flush against the vertical surface.

A hinge 5 is provided at the lowermost horizontal wire, so that thebottom of the caddy forms door 1 which may swing downwards when clasp 6is released. The hinge is advantageously installed on the same side ofthe caddy as the suction cups, so that the door in its open position isparallel to and substantially flush against the vertical surface.Opening 3 permits the introduction of items into the caddy. The door 1forms the entire bottom side of the caddy, so that all the items in thecaddy may easily fall out when the door is opened. Basket sides 4 permitdrying of wet objects and confine objects in the caddy, while door 1 isin a shut position.

The caddy is made of materials suitable for use in a bathroom; that is,corrosion-resistant materials such as stainless steel, plastic- orrubber-coated wire, aluminum, wood, chrome-plated or plastic-coatedmetal, or plastic. A non-corrosion-resistant material (e.g. steel wireor wire mesh) may be coated with plastic or paint. In the embodimentshown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the caddy enclosure is made of stainless steelwire, so that the caddy is rust-free, rigid, not fragile, and hasrelatively large openings in the sides and bottom so that water easilydrains away from wet objects placed therein. Alternatively, theenclosure (the sides and/or the door) may be of plastic with holestherein to provide water drainage. A caddy of plastic may have the hingeformed integral with the bottom edge of one side and the correspondingedge of the door. The holes in the plastic may be arranged in adecorative pattern.

FIG. 2 illustrates a caddy including door 7 in an open position, hinge 8and clasp 9. Door 7 in an open position permits items stored in thecaddy to fall out of the caddy by gravity as a means of quick retrieval.Hinge 8 permits door 7 to transition from a shut position to an openposition. Clasp 9 secures door 7 in a shut position to permit objectstorage in the caddy. Although the clasp may be formed in a variety ofconfigurations, it is advantageous that it permit opening and closing ofthe door with one hand. In this embodiment, the clasp is a spring-metalclip secured around the lowermost horizontal wire, opening downward andproviding a friction fit with the outermost wire of the door (that is,the wire forming the edge of the door opposite the hinge). In anotherembodiment, the caddy is formed of plastic, and the door secures to aside of the caddy by a plastic catch which releases when flexed.

While the disclosure has been described in terms of specificembodiments, it is evident in view of the foregoing description thatnumerous alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent tothose skilled in the art. Accordingly, the disclosure is intended toencompass all such alternatives, modifications and variations which fallwithin the scope and spirit of the disclosure and the following claims.

1. An apparatus comprising: a caddy including a plurality of verticalsides having a plurality of openings, and a door swingably connected tothe bottom edge of one side by a hinge, and a clasp, configured tosecure said door in a closed position, and a suction cup, attached to atleast one of said sides for securing said caddy to a surface.
 2. Anapparatus as in claim 1, wherein the suction cup is formed of plastic.3. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the suction cup is formed ofrubber.
 4. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the caddy is formed of acorrosion-resistant material.
 5. An apparatus as in claim 4, wherein thecorrosion-resistant material is plastic.
 6. An apparatus as in claim 4,wherein the corrosion-resistant material is stainless steel.
 7. Anapparatus as in claim 4, wherein the corrosion-resistant material isaluminum.
 8. An apparatus as in claim 4, wherein the corrosion-resistantmaterial is wood.
 9. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the caddy iscoated in a corrosion-resistant material
 10. An apparatus as in claim 9,wherein the corrosion-resistant material is plastic.
 11. An apparatus asin claim 9, wherein the corrosion-resistant material is paint.
 12. Anapparatus as in claim 9, wherein the corrosion-resistant material isrubber.
 13. A caddy comprising: an oblong basket having four sides, abottom, and an open top; a hinge connecting a first one of the sides tothe bottom, so that the bottom forms a door configured to open downward;at least one suction cup attached to the first side; and a closingmechanism for securing an edge portion of the door opposite the hinge toa second side, wherein the sides and bottom have openings therein topermit drainage of water from the interior of the basket.
 14. A caddyaccording to claim 13, wherein the basket is formed of acorrosion-resistant material.
 15. A caddy according to claim 14, whereinthe basket is a wire basket of stainless steel wire.
 16. A caddyaccording to claim 13, wherein the basket is formed of material with acorrosion-resistant coating.
 17. A caddy according to claim 13,including a plurality of suction cups attached to the first side forattaching the first side substantially parallel to a vertical surface.18. A caddy according to claim 13, wherein the closing mechanismcomprises a clip of spring metal configured to provide a friction fitwith the edge portion of the door opposite the hinge.
 19. A caddyaccording to claim 14, wherein at least one of the sides and the bottomof the caddy is formed of plastic, the plastic having holes therein. 20.A caddy according to claim 19, wherein the hinge is formed integral withthe first side and/or the bottom.